Hey guys...a few years ago I stopped eating meat...for different reasons....1.) because I heard you could lose weight by doing so and 2.) I was sick of hearing all of the cruel ways that they kill animals.......anyway... I was thinking about going back to that because I really did feel a LOT healthier when I was not eating meat....

anyway...I am sure there are some vegetarians on the board....do any of you have any good recipes you could share? I am looking for very simple and inexpensive recipes...I don't like to cook very much so the more simple the better!!


I appreciate anyone's suggestions!

Erin :)

Good luck with being a vegetarian. For health reasons I want to follow the Mediterranean diet. Meaning I eat only 1 or 2 servings of red meat a month, and I eat mostly seafood, and some chicken.

No but I wish I could, I dont know what I would cook if we did that!  I dont eat all that much meat anyways, especially something like steak.

it's going to be hard because my husband refuses to give up meat....so I will most likely be the only one doing this.



Erin :)

I am not a true vegetarian... but I am close...

I can't say I don't eat meat, but I don't eat meat as a dish...

for example, I will eat pizza with pepperoni on it, spaghetti with meat sauce, beef/pork fried rice, etc... and occasionally I eat hamburgers, polish dogs, bacon, etc...

But I don't eat steak, pot roast, pork chops, etc...

I don't know if that makes sense... and it has nothing to do with animals or weight... i just don't like the taste of meat unless i'm really in the mood for it... but i will eat it if i can't really taste that "meat" flavor..

yes..that makes sense


when I wasn't eating meat...I started by cutting out everything but chicken and fish...and then I gradually weened myself off of that as well....it was pretty difficult...but I felt a lot better in doing so.


Erin :)

I am not a true vegetarian... but I am close...

I can't say I don't eat meat, but I don't eat meat as a dish...

for example, I will eat pizza with pepperoni on it, spaghetti with meat sauce, beef/pork fried rice, etc... and occasionally I eat hamburgers, polish dogs, bacon, etc...

But I don't eat steak, pot roast, pork chops, etc...

I don't know if that makes sense... and it has nothing to do with animals or weight... i just don't like the taste of meat unless i'm really in the mood for it... but i will eat it if i can't really taste that "meat" flavor..


OMG I am exactly the same way..we usually makes those same things..but I dont makes pot roast, brisket etc...

And when I make something with alot of meat in it..like spaghetti or hamburger helper, I usually have a plate left with most the meat on it.  Meat is actully really gross if you think about it!

yes..that makes sense


when I wasn't eating meat...I started by cutting out everything but chicken and fish...and then I gradually weened myself off of that as well....it was pretty difficult...but I felt a lot better in doing so.


Erin :)


I don't think it's good to cut out poultry & fish??  maybe I'm wrong... but I've always understood that meat is high in protein & cholesterol, giving a reason to stop eating it.. but I think poultry & fish have nutrients that you can't really get in anything else... ??

I love shrimp, by the way... I could never give that up.

when I cut both of those out...I was eating a lot of salads...fruit...I still ate eggs because I wasn't vegan or anything.....and bread/pasta....but a lot of those things have high carbs....so I don't really know what to eat.....I probably will still eat chicken/fish once in awhile.


Erin :)

Cheese makes almost everything taste better, Erin...

I don't like broccoli, but put some cheese sauce on it, and I'm more than happy to eat it.  :D

I'm not a vegetarian, but I try not to eat too much red meat. I've also decided that when I'm out on the road and I stop at a truckstop to eat I'm going to try and stick with soup and salad bars whenever possible. (We'll see how long that lasts...)

I don't eat meat like Steak, Pork chops, etc., but I do eat hamburgers and fish and whatnot, but I have a solution for you.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/krafteasymac/images/easy_mac_bottom_right.gif



true...but it also makes you FAT!

LOL!

Erin :)

I read that if you plant two groups of seeds and water one group with water and the other group with the same water but you microwave the water then let it cool... The seeds watered with microwaved water won't grow

I don't like the fact that people who kill the animals grab the chickens by their legs and bash their heads against the ground....and worse.



Thats so unnecessary.



~Beth

mmmm..."salad fingers".....now that sounds like something good to eat....got any croutons?


;D

AHAHAHHAHA...*Sarcasticly stops the laughter*  *expressionless face*




~SF

I'm not,but i don't eat meat every day.I also drink lots of soy milk and rice milk.Trader joe's has some really good basmanti rice milk--you should try it!I eat sa lot of peanut butter too.

  Hi there.
  if you like tomato and you aren't also watching carbs. try this mid-western favorite my mother taught me. Macaroni and tomato with cheese.

It's a one pot meal. 
cook as much macaroni pasta as you need for your meal. drain and set aside.
Saute minced onion and bell pepper in olive oil or butter.
mix the onion and the pasta into the same pot/pan with 1-2 can(s) of diced tomato, or diced tomato with italian seasoning.
              buy as much tomato as you need to cover the amount of pasta you are serving.
            Add in basil, fresh or dry, plus garlic seasoning or any other italian spices  to suit your taste.
Also, you can use leftover marinara sauce, or buy fresh and add in a cup or 2 to cover the pasta with more tomato flavor than just the diced.
  To balance the acid of the tomato sprinkle in a tablespoon or 2 of regular table sugar.
  Once the tomatoes are warm in the pan slowly mix in your favorite shredded cheese.

I'm not vegetarian, but my mom has a cousin who is, and I have a friend who is.

My girlfriend's a raw vegan, and I'm practically vegan. 

Good soy milk is terrific.  And if you can find well-prepared, properly-textured soy, you can wonder why anyone would even bother dealing with 'real' meat.  I use to like eggs... but I don't miss them at all.

But good lord, I do miss cheddar cheese like the devil.  I have never been able to find a decent soy cheddar.

Stick with the meat.  A tomato and an apple will never be better than a good piece of steak.  Even when I eat salads, I make sure that there's ham and imitation bacon bits in it.  Otherwise, I'd be eating rabbit food.

  Hi there.
  if you like tomato and you aren't also watching carbs. try this mid-western favorite my mother taught me. Macaroni and tomato with cheese.

It's a one pot meal. 
cook as much macaroni pasta as you need for your meal. drain and set aside.
Saute minced onion and bell pepper in olive oil or butter.
mix the onion and the pasta into the same pot/pan with 1-2 can(s) of diced tomato, or diced tomato with italian seasoning.
              buy as much tomato as you need to cover the amount of pasta you are serving.
            Add in basil, fresh or dry, plus garlic seasoning or any other italian spices  to suit your taste.
Also, you can use leftover marinara sauce, or buy fresh and add in a cup or 2 to cover the pasta with more tomato flavor than just the diced.
  To balance the acid of the tomato sprinkle in a tablespoon or 2 of regular table sugar.
  Once the tomatoes are warm in the pan slowly mix in your favorite shredded cheese.




that sounds like a good recipe...maybe I will try it sometime.

Erin :)

BUMP

I've been what I call a "casual vegetarian" since Summer 2001, although I'd been kinda thinking about it for about 2 years before. I'm not sure of the exact reason, but it was partly that I was working out/jogging, and just otherwise getting in shape around then, plus just the thought of eating a dead animal - not to mention some of the ways in which they're killed or the diseases they could've had - helped turn me off of it (although, on occasion, I do miss Big Macs!).

(For instance, even at Thanksgiving, when I'd actually see someone digging into the turkey, I always had a thought of "ick!!" to myself.)

BTW, I still have dairy and even fish (hence the 'casual', hehe!) but gave up pork, steak, chicken etc. for the last 4 years. I agree that I've just somehow felt "healthier" since then, and about 10-15 pounds less on average than I was before I stopped.

see....that's kind of how I was too a few years ago.....I stopped eating everything (meat-wise) except occasional fish or chicken...and I too felt soooo much better not eating that crappy meat!


Erin :)

see....that's kind of how I was too a few years ago.....I stopped eating everything (meat-wise) except occasional fish or chicken...and I too felt soooo much better not eating that crappy meat!


Erin :)


Cool. I was just also wondering, do you think the ingridents in meat age you at all?

In other words, I've hardly gotten a day older looking since I was 16 (I'm 23 now, but stopped eating meat at 19) and like I said, I normally weigh 165-70 now. Five years ago, it was closer to 178 or so.

(I use alot of moisturizers and cleansers too, so that might be part of it, but if no meat also means I'll only look 30 when I'm 45 - I'm all for it even more, LOL!)

i don't feel right unless my meal consists of a dead animal somewhere. although i can go vegan as long as the food is spicier than hell and has a lot of beans...i'd be a deadly vegan to hang with  ;D

I'm really not sure...I mean...I am 28 years old and people say that I don't look a day over 20 or so.....but then again...I wasn't a vegetarian for a real long period of time..maybe a year or so....

...I think I just inherited my moms "staying young looking" genes! LOL!


Erin :)

I'm really not sure...I mean...I am 28 years old and people say that I don't look a day over 20 or so.....but then again...I wasn't a vegetarian for a real long period of time..maybe a year or so....

...I think I just inherited my moms "staying young looking" genes! LOL!

Erin :)


Yeah. Most people in my family seem way younger than they really are (I guess this is why, even when I was little, I never thought of 40 or 50 as "old" - one of my uncles is 74 and jokes about how he hates hanging around other people his age who only talk about their aches and pains - LOL!!). I guess I inherited it too. :)

I'm not a vegetarian, but I try not to eat too much red meat. I've also decided that when I'm out on the road and I stop at a truckstop to eat I'm going to try and stick with soup and salad bars whenever possible. (We'll see how long that lasts...)


Go for it AL-B !!  I cut out red meat some years back and try and eat only pasta, veg, masses of tuna and white meat, and lots of sundried tomatoes....mmmmmmmmmmm

Sorry Quirk, I live for chicken parmesan.
I used to be a veg for 8 months. I was doing good until my best friend rubbed a big mac across my lips. Sickeningly enough I dove right in and didn't look back. Nowadays I limit my intake of red meat and fast food. Would you beilieve that my skin got a lot clearer because of it?!

Sorry Quirk, I live for chicken parmesan.
I used to be a veg for 8 months. I was doing good until my best friend rubbed a big mac across my lips. Sickeningly enough I dove right in and didn't look back. Nowadays I limit my intake of red meat and fast food. Would you beilieve that my skin got a lot clearer because of it?!





Chicken parmesan is where it's at!



~Beth :)

Good old chicken parmesan!!

BUMP!

Ok, I've decided to try being a vegetarian again. I haven't eaten any meat in over 2 weeks. It has not been hard at all..I don't even miss it. I have been trying to eat healthier and I've been exercising (lost some weight already)....so, I've decided to go back to the vegetarian lifestyle. Now, I will still eat dairy products....I don't think I could be vegan. I recently read over some material from PETA, and it broke my heart what they do to these animals...I was so upset. So now, everytime I look at a piece of meat...I get literally sick to my stomach.

I'm open to more suggestions/recipes/etc.. :)

dont try to compensate by having cheese sandwiches and lots of othr dairy. eggs are good and you can use tofu insead of chees in a lot of things. also, you can replace ricotta with cottage cheese in lasagne and it tastes the same.

dont try to compensate by having cheese sandwiches and lots of othr dairy. eggs are good and you can use tofu insead of chees in a lot of things. also, you can replace ricotta with cottage cheese in lasagne and it tastes the same.




good ideas!! :) Thanks for that. ;) I've been trying to have lots of veggies, Gardenburgers, things like that too.

good ideas!! :) Thanks for that. ;) I've been trying to have lots of veggies, Gardenburgers, things like that too.


and beans- do the chickpeas and all that. yum.  chili! yeah!

I was vegetarian for 7 years. 

and beans- do the chickpeas and all that. yum.  chili! yeah!

I was vegetarian for 7 years. 



mmmmmm...hummus, SO SO good! :) :D

BUMP!

Ok, I've decided to try being a vegetarian again. I haven't eaten any meat in over 2 weeks. It has not been hard at all..I don't even miss it. I have been trying to eat healthier and I've been exercising (lost some weight already)....so, I've decided to go back to the vegetarian lifestyle. Now, I will still eat dairy products....I don't think I could be vegan. I recently read over some material from PETA, and it broke my heart what they do to these animals...I was so upset. So now, everytime I look at a piece of meat...I get literally sick to my stomach.

I'm open to more suggestions/recipes/etc.. :)


Way to go!  It is always nice when someone decides to take up the vegetarian lifestyle.  I converted about 13 years ago and never looked back.  It wasn't for health reasons but more because of personal choice.  I can't offer you recipes because I don't like to cook....I tend to just heat up ready made products.  I haven't lost weight because I tend to eat more junkfood but I can say that I haven't been sick in many years.  Good luck!

mmmmmm...hummus, SO SO good! :) :D


yeah. now i'm really starved. i'm on a doctor prescribed diet. somethings i just can't have. but times like now, when i'm really hungry, i have to have what's in the house if i have not shopped for myself. ugh.  it's expensive to eat right.

yeah. now i'm really starved. i'm on a doctor prescribed diet. somethings i just can't have. but times like now, when i'm really hungry, i have to have what's in the house if i have not shopped for myself. ugh.  it's expensive to eat right.



yes, it totally is. :( I would love to be able to go out and get tons of veg stuff...but I just can't afford it right now.

i'm going to have the leftover potatoes and beets. whooopeee. or a big plate ot spaghetti.

so here's a question...for Thanksgiving...do you have that tofurkey stuff? Is it good?

so here's a question...for Thanksgiving...do you have that tofurkey stuff? Is it good?


i haven't.  my aunt used to make lots of sides and had some tofu casserole ...and it was great!

i haven't.  my aunt used to make lots of sides and had some tofu casserole ...and it was great!


I don't think I will miss having turkey either...my mom usually makes a ton of other stuff.....all of that will fill me up w/o having to have the turkey.

:-[  I just bought a 3 lb. package of thick sliced, hickory smoked bacon. aw geez, I'm no help.


but seriously, I wish you the best in whatever you do Erin and it's great that you're not finding it difficult to deny yourself meat products.
what about seafood, fish & shellfish, yanno those lil' baby shrimp go great in a salad. are those not allowed either  ??? 

:-[  I just bought a 3 lb. package of thick sliced, hickory smoked bacon. aw geez, I'm no help.


but seriously, I wish you the best in whatever you do Erin and it's great that you're not finding it difficult to deny yourself meat products.
what about seafood, fish & shellfish, yanno those lil' baby shrimp go great in a salad. are those not allowed either  ??? 


Well as of now...fish is the only meat product that I am currently eating. I may try to do away with that as well...but I'm not sure yet. I've never been much of a fan of seafood though....occasionally it's ok...but I could never live on the stuff. So...I don't think it will be that difficult for me to do away with that either. Anyway, thanks for the well wishes Mike! :)

Wow I remember this thread. :)

^ As of two years ago, nothing much has changed with me (I've been a semi vegetarian since mid 2001), but as far as cutting fish products out, I guess the easiest way to do this stuff is gradually. Do you have it alot, or is it something you wouldn't notice as much if you stopped eating it? Like, for me, I actually was half-inspired to become one by cutting out fast food for that Summer when I wanted to get in really good shape. Which meant no Filet O' Fishes at McDonalds, lol.

Wow I remember this thread. :)

^ As of two years ago, nothing much has changed with me (I've been a semi vegetarian since mid 2001), but as far as cutting fish products out, I guess the easiest way to do this stuff is gradually. Do you have it alot, or is it something you wouldn't notice as much if you stopped eating it? Like, for me, I actually was half-inspired to become one by cutting out fast food for that Summer when I wanted to get in really good shape. Which meant no Filet O' Fishes at McDonalds, lol.


no, like I said above (in the response to Badfingerfan)....I am not really an avid seafood eater. Once in awhile I will order baked cod or something like that, when we go out to dinner...but I hate fried fish (I really hate fried foods in general...for the most part)...so, I don't really think it will be that difficult for me to cut out fish.

no, like I said above (in the response to Badfingerfan)....I am not really an avid seafood eater. Once in awhile I will order baked cod or something like that, when we go out to dinner...but I hate fried fish (I really hate fried foods in general...for the most part)...so, I don't really think it will be that difficult for me to cut out fish.


Yeah, same here actually. That's one reason I've kinda distanced myself from fast food in general (other than times I'm super hungry or in a rush)...more often than not it's fried and just so greasy. Although places like Burger King tend to be a teeny bit better. I like salmon and stuff though, so I'm not sure I'd want to cut some of it out. There's always other stuff you can eat to get protein which meat has - that's something that's a big misconception it seems.

Yeah, same here actually. That's one reason I've kinda distanced myself from fast food in general (other than times I'm super hungry or in a rush)...more often than not it's fried and just so greasy. Although places like Burger King tend to be a teeny bit better. I like salmon and stuff though, so I'm not sure I'd want to cut some of it out. There's always other stuff you can eat to get protein which meat has - that's something that's a big misconception it seems.



Ya, in general...I've never really been a huge fan of meat products. I mean...I would eat a hamburger every now and then....but my biggest thing that I ate a lot of is chicken. It's just that after reading how dirty they are..what they inject in them...their living conditions, how they torture them before killing them....I just can't do it anymore.

...only with ketchup?

yes, it totally is. :( I would love to be able to go out and get tons of veg stuff...but I just can't afford it right now.


I think some of those vegetarian meals are more expensive than meals that contain meat products!  :o

Well...it has been nearly a year since I posted in this thread, and I am still going very strong as a vegetarian. I feel a lot healthier, I've lost weight....and I've saved a lot of animals. My sister and her boyfriend also went veg...I'm proud of them. :)

Karma for this.  You're making up for my shameless use of animal products. ;D

I could probably go vegetarian with no problems.  Tofu is an awesome meat substitute.  Couldn't do vegan though.  I can't give up my honey or milk or cheese or anything.

Well...it has been nearly a year since I posted in this thread, and I am still going very strong as a vegetarian. I feel a lot healthier, I've lost weight....and I've saved a lot of animals. My sister and her boyfriend also went veg...I'm proud of them. :)


Congrats!  I became a vegetarian about 13 years ago because of my love for animals and I can never see myself ever converting back.  I never found it hard to cut out meat from my diet.  I haven't lost weight (lately I have been putting on weight  :\'()  but I do think I am healthier and I rarely ever get sick.  I am not a Vegan so I do eat eggs and milk products but I have been thinking of removing those from my diet also.  Because of where I live it wouldn't be feasible as the food would be overly priced and hard to come by. 

No I'm not a vegetarian,I love cow,pig,horse,chicken,turkey and other meats too.

No I'm not a vegetarian,I love cow,pig,horse,chicken,turkey and other meats too.


8-P 8-P 8-P 8-P

I like chicken too much (it is the "Cat" in me  ;) ).  Carlos loves his pork & beef. My niece was a vegetarian for years. When I saw her two weeks ago, I noticed she had chicken on her plate and made a comment. I asked her what gives. She said "Cravings". lol  My nephew is also a vegetarian but I wonder how long he is going to last. What was really funny, when we were in Puerto Rico, he barely ate anything. As they were leaving, he handed me a bunch of post card to mail for him. I'm such a bad aunt because I read them.  :-[ :D ;D ;D  What was funny was he told one of his friends that the food was "awesome". How would he know? He didn't eat anything.  :D ;D ;D ;D  I told my sister that and we both had a good laugh.




Cat

I like chicken too much (it is the "Cat" in me  ;) ).  Carlos loves his pork & beef. My niece was a vegetarian for years. When I saw her two weeks ago, I noticed she had chicken on her plate and made a comment. I asked her what gives. She said "Cravings". lol  My nephew is also a vegetarian but I wonder how long he is going to last. What was really funny, when we were in Puerto Rico, he barely ate anything. As they were leaving, he handed me a bunch of post card to mail for him. I'm such a bad aunt because I read them.  :-[ :D ;D ;D  What was funny was he told one of his friends that the food was "awesome". How would he know? He didn't eat anything.  :D ;D ;D ;D  I told my sister that and we both had a good laugh.




Cat







that's funny, Cat. ;D  But ya...chicken was the most difficult thing to do away with. I had cravings for it for a few months...but now, I don't crave any of it any longer..infact, even the scent of it makes me sick now.

I am not a vegetarian, I like meat too much.  I have cut back on red meat, though.  Like in Hamburger Helper I replace beef with turkey burger.  Add seasonings and it isn't bad at all. 

8-P 8-P 8-P 8-P


What's so yuck about it?  :(

What's so yuck about it?  :(



I don't like meat.

I don't like meat.


So you've never ate meat before?  ???

So you've never ate meat before?  ???


yes..I used to, but I decided a year ago that I don't want to eat it any longer....so I haven't since then.

Sometimes I'll eat salads but I'm more of a meat person.

yes..I used to, but I decided a year ago that I don't want to eat it any longer....so I haven't since then.


I can't claim to be a vegetarian, but I slowed up on red meat about 2 years ago, now I don't eat it at all, as a matter of fact I am pretty adverse to it now.  I still do chicken, occasionally I will have pork ribs, but that is pretty much the extent of it. I  also drink less soda and stay away from "white foods"  white rice, white bread, white potatoes, and feel much better for it.

Do you have salads? ???

I need my meat.

I need my meat.


What meat do you eat? ???

What meat do you eat? ???
Umm...

Pork
Beef
Chicken
Mutton
Fish

^ thems the main ones.

Umm...

Pork
Beef
Chicken
Mutton
Fish

^ thems the main ones.


I like Chicken and Beef myself.

Do you have salads? ???



Chicken, fish, veggies, whole grain pastas, whole grain breads, fruit.

Chicken, fish, veggies, whole wheat pastas, fruit.


So I see you're more health conscious.

What meat do you eat? ???
I don't eat:

human
dog
cat
horse
giraffe
donkey
...and many other such meats.  8-P

I don't eat:

human
dog
cat
horse
giraffe
donkey
...and many other such meats.  8-P


I didn't mean those types.  ;D

So I see you're more health conscious.



Sort of....there are those all to ofter ice cream, candy, junk food binges.  ::)

yes..I used to, but I decided a year ago that I don't want to eat it any longer....so I haven't since then.
Well done on taking such a step.

I could never become a vegetarian, nor do I want to. But to become more aware on how my food is processed and to pick the places where animals are treated humanely before being killed and turned into meat. ie: stay away from battery hens for example. Although this is a costlier method, especially on my tight budget.

Sort of....there are those all to ofter ice cream, candy, junk food binges.   ::)


Do you take the offer Danoota? ???

I don't eat huge amounts of meat. I love beef but boy it gives me stomach ache if I eat more than a small amount. I hate pork but LOVE lamb, sadly Himself hates lamb so I never get to eat it unless he's away. We tend to eat chicken when we do have meat.

My best friend was a vegetarian for 20 years but recently had to start eating meat again for health reasons. There are specific protiens that are only found in meat so she is back on the chicken. She can only bear to buy precooked meat though.